Klay Thompson unveils Anta signature shoe in China: Price, colorway & more explored

Klay Thompson was one of the first NBA stars to take advantage of the basketball-crazed market in China. He signed with Anta years ago and is making his annual offseason trip to China.

This time, he unveiled his next his signature shoe with Anta, the KT9. Thompson shared images of the new shoe on his social media, and the images quickly spread across platforms.

The shoe has not yet been released by Anta yet, and the price is still unknown. His previous shoe, the KT8, is currently on sale for $179.99. The new shoe will likely be released at a similar price point.

Thompson’s deal with Anta was a 10-year contract. It was reported the deal was worth more than $80 million after including bonuses and royalties. The deal was signed in 2016 after Thompson initially signed with Anta for $2 million per year.

What inspired Klay Thompson’s newest signature shoe?

The new shoe from Thompson is inspired by his affinity for boats. The Warriors guard often dons a captain's hat as he cruises the San Francisco Bay in his boat. The shoe’s colorway is black, white and gold, much like his iconic captain's hat.

The Splash Brother often posts social media videos while riding around on his boat solo. He even takes it to games sometimes. The sharpshooter also used the boating to fill time and help his mental health when he was out for two seasons with leg injuries.

“It’s been so good for my mental health. When the days would get really tough, I would take a cruise into the city or toward Oakland or just be out in nature. It always helps,” Thompson told NBC Sports Bay Area in 2021.

His love for boating is known worldwide. Thompson arrived in Xiamen for his annual Asia tour with Anta, and many Chinese fans were wearing captain's hats to greet him at the airport.

Thompson is a popular figure in China. He is now one of four NBA players with a signature shoe deal with Anta. Rajon Rondo was the first. Thompson and Gordon Hayward followed.

Kyrie Irving has joined Anta after his lucrative deal with Nike dissolved. Irving will be a huge new name alongside Thompson for the brand. Thompson is on tour with Warriors teammate Kevon Looney, who is also an Anta athlete.